IDF deployed commandos, intelligence units to Azerbaijan during Iran war, CNN reports

Israel deployed special forces, intelligence personnel, and Mossad agents to Azerbaijan during its recent conflict with Iran, known as Operation Roaring Lion, according to sources cited by CNN. These Israeli units operated from bases in southern Azerbaijan, providing a forward position close to Iran's northwestern border.

The forces, numbering several dozen soldiers including elite units like the Search and Rescue Unit 669, reportedly engaged in intelligence gathering and drone operations. At their closest point, these soldiers were approximately 60 kilometers from Tabriz, an Iranian city targeted by the Israeli Air Force during the operation. The deployment aimed to gather intelligence and potentially support military operations against Iran.

These operations in Azerbaijan were part of a broader network of covert Israeli military sites reportedly established in multiple countries, including Iraq, the UAE, and Somaliland. This strategic positioning along Iran's peripheries aimed to extend the IDF's military range and facilitate operations deep within Iranian territory.

In response to the CNN report, an Azerbaijani Embassy spokesperson in Washington "firmly reject[ed] [the] unfounded claims regarding the alleged use of Azerbaijan's territory for operations against third countries." The report also noted a joint announcement by Mossad, Shin Bet, and the IDF during the war exposing a global Iranian terror network, which included activities in Azerbaijan.

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firmly rejecting [the] unfounded claims regarding the alleged use of Azerbaijan's territory for operations against third countries.